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Salary commission recommends raising North Bend mayor’s pay to $6,000; council raises concerns over timing
Summary
The city’s independent salary commission recommended raising the mayor’s monthly pay to $6,000 and a 3% cost-of-living increase for councilmembers; several council members expressed concern about the timing given projected budget shortfalls and asked the mayor to consider donating part of any increase.
A three-member, independent salary commission presented its report to the North Bend City Council Tuesday and recommended raising the mayor’s base pay to $6,000 per month while eliminating the prior meeting-stipend structure. The commission also recommended a 3% cost-of-living increase for councilmembers, raising the monthly council salary from $550 to $570.
Commission members said their charge under North Bend Municipal Code chapter 2.36 was to assess whether the compensation is sufficient to allow any citizen to consider serving without undue financial burden and to compare North Bend pay with peer jurisdictions. "As North Bend continues to grow in population and regional importance, we recognize that the demands on our mayor have increased," commission member Susan Sill said. "To ensure that a mayoral candidate can be confident that the compensation is in line with role expectations ... the commission increased the mayor's compensation to $6,000 a month up from $4,000 and eliminated the stipend for meeting attendance."
Commissioner Tad Haas said councilmember salaries were judged slightly above peer averages but recommended the 3% adjustment to keep pace with inflation. The commission filed its recommendations with the city clerk; under state law and the city code the salary commission’s changes take effect without further council action.
Several council members expressed concern about timing given the city’s near-term fiscal constraints. Councilmember Susan Torgerson asked the mayor whether she would consider accepting a smaller increase or donating part of an increase back to the city to avoid cuts elsewhere. "Introducing a salary increase of this size in this financial climate is difficult to reconcile and could erode public trust," Torgerson said.
City Attorney Kendra Rosenberg and Administrative Services Director Lisa Escobar provided legal and procedural context: the commission is authorized by state law and North Bend Municipal Code; decreases to elected officials’ pay cannot take effect until the end of an incumbent’s term because of constitutional limits.
The report generated questions and discussion but no council action; commissioners said they would accept questions and file their report with the clerk.
